Meeting Scorpius
by KristieConspiracy
Summary: There's a first time for everything, including meeting the son of a former pureblood supremacist.
1. Albus S Potter

**Challenge: **Cheeky Slytherin Lass's _Fanfiction Scavenger Hunt _on HPC

**Characters: **Scorpius Malfoy, Albus S. Potter, Rose Weasley

**Prompt: **50. A fic with the closing sentence, _No one would ever know._

**Word count: **795

* * *

The first time Albus Potter ever met Scorpius Malfoy, he was taking the Hogwarts Express for the first time in his life. Oh, he wasn't alone in the carriage: he'd managed to find an empty one with Rose and their cousin Molly, while the others - including, thankfully, James, the bully - had vanished off to find their friends. But he was feeling melancholic.

He was staring out the window, allowing his misery to consume him, when the door slid open with an ear-piercing screech. Rose had glanced up from the spellbook she was reading, a smile on her face, that had died instantly. "You're Scorpius Malfoy."

The boy, now that Albus looked, was definitely the boy Uncle Ron had been picking on while he'd been panicking. He hadn't really been listening. He was incredibly pale, but didn't look sick, pulling the gauntness off with similar flair as their cousin Louis, except this boy had matching pale blond hair instead of ginger. Ever polite, Albus shuffled some books Rose had dumped beside him off the seat, glancing at Molly, who hadn't so much as blinked. She was reading a third-year spellbook she'd taken from Roxanne intently, her glasses sliding off her nose and making her eyes seem weirdly large.

"May I sit here, please?"

Albus blinked at the blonde wizards tiny, quiet voice, and nodded quickly. He wanted his silence back so he could privately dread the sorting some more.

After a few minutes of silence, though, Scorpius awkwardly cleared his throat. He glanced at Albus. "Are you alright?"

The other wizard started, looking at him in surprise. "Huh?"

"You look a bit sick, that's all."

"It's noth -"

"He's worried he's gonna get sorted into Slytherin."

"Rose!"

"What? You are. James - that's his brother, James Potter - has been picking on him for _weeks_, saying he'll be in Slytherin and then granddad will disinherit him. It's what James says every year, from what I understand." She shrugged.

Scorpius considers this for a moment, processing the information. Much to Albus' surprise, he didn't comment on the names. Instead, he said the most unlikely thing Albus could have come up with:

"I hope I'm in Slytherin."

"Are you _insane_? Why would you want to be a snake?"

"My dad was one," he shrugged.

"But - but there wasn't a magical person who went bad who wasn't in Slytherin!"

"Firstly, that's not true, Albus," Rose scolded, "think of Peter Pettigrew, he was a Gryffindor. Rita Skeeter, that evil reporter, was a Ravenclaw. Quirrel was a Ravenclaw too, and he became so corrupted by fear that he was killing _unicorns_. And Gellert Grindelwald, second-most famous Dark wizard of all time, he didn't even _go_ to Hogwarts, he went to Durmstrang. And secondly, don't be rude."

"No," Scorpius corrected, rather mild in the rebuff. "My dad's Draco Malfoy. He was a Death Eater. He did save -"

"My dad!"

"Yes, I suppose, he saved Harry Potter. But then he still got punished for his crimes. Good riddance, I suppose, he got what he asked for, since he did try to kill Dumbledore and all, but it's in the past now. And people can't seem to let go of that."

"So why do _you_ want to be in Slytherin? Sounds like all it's done is brought you trouble."

Scorpius fiddled with one of the books beside him, letting Albus start to mentally panic. After several minutes of this, he looked up, meeting Rose's curious gaze while Albus watched. "I want to be in Slytherin because I want to prove that it doesn't make you a bad person to be one of them. I want to redeem my family name, for dad, and for me. And I think the best way to do that is to be a Slytherin but not behave like they did _before_."

Albus blinked, considering this reasoning, leaning his head against the cool glass of the carriage window. _Maybe Scorpius has a point. To be one of them, but not to be _like_ them...hm. He's on to something_.He smiled softly, but it went unnoticed. Rose had come up with a different plan to Scorpius' and the two were arguing, Scorpius becoming inflamed and actually demonstrating a temper for the first time since he'd opened the door, hands flying as he gestured manically. Rose mirrored the actions in a bizarre parody that was actually quite normal for her.

Scorpius sealed his friendship with Albus that day, though he didn't know it, and wouldn't for years. His words had reassured him far more than his fathers' promise that the Sorting Hat would care what he thought. Albus made up his mind right then that he wouldn't admit this little truth to anyone.

No one would ever know.


	2. Astoria Malfoy nee Greengrass

**Challenge: **Cheeky Slytherin Lass's _Fanfiction Scavenger Hunt Competition_ on HPFC

**Characters: **Astoria Malfoy nee Greengrass, Scorpius Malfoy

**Prompts: **7. A drabble of exactly 100 words.

**Word count: **100

* * *

Imagine knowing that the child you gave birth to is unquestionably yours, that it needs your love and constant affection. Imagine being completely aware that your husband had been absolutely, unabashedly, in love with the idea of having a child, ever since you announced your pregnancy.

Imagine looking at it and not understanding the appeal of a tiny human being. Imagine seeing nothing but blond wisps of hair, pale skin, and the cause of nine months of illness, of the loss of your beauty, of the destruction of your happiness.

Astoria did not love her son. She didn't know how.


	3. Draco Malfoy

**Challenge: **Cheeky Slytherin Lass' _Fanfiction Scavenger Hunt Competition_ on HPFC

**Characters: **Draco Malfoy, Scorpius Malfoy

**Prompt: **26. A fic under 100 words

**Word count: **96

* * *

Draco had never done anything good in his lifetime, if he discounted hesitating to kill Dumbledore and preventing his lackey from killing Potter. Looking down at the tiny bundle in his arms, none of this mattered.

He cooed softly to the little boy, a smile stretching across his face. Anyone looking would know he was infatuated with the child. In the future, he would move mountains for him. Buy him anything. Make nice with Weasley's for him.

But all of this was yet to happen. The child couldn't speak, and yet, Draco Malfoy was already smitten.


	4. Neville Longbottom

**Challenge:** Cheeky Slytherin Lass's _Fanfiction Scavenger Hunt Competition_ on HPFC

**Characters: **Neville Longbottom, Scorpius Malfoy, Rose Weasley

**Prompt: **21. A nextgen fic.

**Word count: **1, 520

* * *

Neville Longbottom's initial reaction to Scorpius Malfoy was dread. The eleven-year-old looked _exactly_ like his father, as he had twenty-six years ago. Neville remembered every experience involving Draco Malfoy with painful clarity: a leg-locker jinx, swiping his Remembrall before their first flying lesson, constantly insulting him throughout the year. In other words, Neville was terrified.

He was brave now, though, or so his wife and children insisted, along with Harry and the entire Weasley family. That had to count for something. So, feeling rather reluctant and cautious, Neville put all expectations out of his mind and resolved to be an open-minded, fair professor. He watched the Malfoy heir get sorted into Ravenclaw. Then he watched Rose Weasley, famously stubborn for having her dads' temper, get sorted into the same house. This was _not_ going to be pretty.

Herbology with the Ravenclaws' and Hufflepuffs' was going to be _hell_.

* * *

He expected the class to be unpleasant. He expected the class to be full of arguing, particularly since Rose was a highly opinionated individual who lacked self restraint. He even expected hostility, due to the presence of old family feuds and the stupid advice Ron had no doubt given his daughter about how to treat the son of a man he'd never quite stopped hating.

He didn't expect that having a third period class on Tuesdays that mixed Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw could potentially be fatal. It hadn't once been factored into his calculations regarding how difficult his life as a teacher would be.

It was meant to be safe. It was meant to be _much_ safer than being an auror or working in the Weasley joke shop, meant to be easier than working as a healer and less stressful than ministry work. Hannah had the shop thing in the bag - and frankly, he didn't have the head for numbers. No, herbology professor was a nice, safe alternative.

"Well, it wasn't very bloody safe, was it?" he grumbled, hiding under the table with the majority of the students in that periods' class. Various pots, plants and the occasional gardening tool flew through the air overhead. Neville was just thanking his lucky stars that they hadn't succeeded in breaking anything - due only to the endurance charms placed on them to prevent exactly that.

Muttering under his breath behind the shrieking of the two members of enemy families, or at least the children of a couple of life-long rivals, Neville pressed his hands over his ears. The wide-eyed Hufflepuff closest to him mimicked the action, causing a chain reaction amongst those that were hiding, until twenty students and their professor were covering their ears as well as they could without earmuffs. _They just threw the spare horklump pots. The next thing they grab should be -_

A redheaded witch and a pale wizard crashed to the floor on either side of the table, a scowl still etched onto either face. Meanwhile, a hideous root-like growth rolled onto the ground, writhing and thrashing around. Neville crawled out from beneath the table, knocking a charmed pot to the floor and nudging it over to the thing. As soon as it was inside, the thing filled with dirt, and Neville exhaled in relief. "Honestly, these two," he grumbled, dismissing the rest of the students and reaching for his wand.

* * *

Once again, an argument had broken out. It seemed that the Ravenclaws' had potions with Slytherin before herbology, and the snakes would make snide, even cruel, towards Scorpius. They'd end up blocking the walkways between desks, _always_ the ones that Rose needed to traverse to get to the ingredient cupboard. The Weasley girl interfered, shoving one of them, right into Scorpius, who wasn't grateful for the reprieve. He started arguing with her, letting her hit him more than once, but didn't swing a return hit. "A gentleman," he said to the headmaster as Neville looked on, "does not strike a lady. Even if they are a right thorn in his side."

Neville's respect for the boy climbed a tiny amount when he heard that, but he still didn't have a solution. He needed one, too. It was a fluke that no one had been maimed, killed or otherwise harmed injured in the crossfire thus far. He needed a miracle.

Unable to procure a miracle in the twenty-four hours left before his next lesson, though, he bit his tongue and tried to come up with an ingenius plan.

He'd normally go to Hermione for this, but it was her daughter who was half the problem. He couldn't very well write her asking for help, could he? What would he say?

_Dear Hermione,  
Hi, how are you? I'm great. Doing really well with the first years. Except for one small problem. Your daughter, Rose, and Malfoy's kid, Scorpius, have a vendetta. They're out for blood. Can you suggest a way to reign Rose in?  
Thanks,  
Neville_

No, he decided, that was a terrible idea. Hermione would, at best, send a howler to set him straight away. The fact that he remembered the spells the vindictive witch had used when Ron had wronged her - Ron still had the scars on his face from the wrath of the birds - didn't exactly help his confidence. So the idea of asking Hermione Granger for help was abandoned.

So maybe he should write to Malfoy. That's what he'd do with any other children, what he did with Harry's kids and the kids of _other_ former classmates. What would _that_ letter say?

_Dear Mr. Malfoy,  
I am writing to you regarding your son, Scorpius. The boy has been having trouble getting along with another student and a housemate of his by the name of Rose Weasley. Normally, I wouldn't interfere with the students personal lives, however, it has come to my attention that their feud is putting their peers in danger. If you could talk to your son regarding his behaviour in class, it would be greatly appreciated, not only by myself, but also by the Headmaster and other staff members.  
Yours sincerely,  
Professor N. Longbottom_

No way in hell was he sending that to Malfoy. Not to the Malfoy he knew. Groaning, he got up from his desk and walked away.

He needed to put in an appearance with Hannah. Talking to her _always_ helped him think.

* * *

Hannah was thrilled to see him. She always was, during the school term, since he almost never left the grounds. She'd come up on weekends sometimes, bringing their sons' pet dog along to appease Frank. She hadn't had time for a while, though, because the Leaky Cauldron was incredibly busy. But he'd stayed the night, and the couple had enjoyed their time together before he had to leave in the morning.

He didn't leave empty handed, though. He had an idea.

He hoped it worked.

* * *

"_What_?"

"I am _not_ working with him!"

Neville wasn't backing down on this. He crossed his arms, leaning against one of the long tables. The rest of the class was waiting outside. "Think about this, Rose, Mr. Malfoy."

The girl glared at him, but she did fall quiet. Scorpius' face went blank while he did as Neville suggested, much to the professors' surprise. The boy was standing back, the opposite of Rose, who had been yelling in her younger brothers' godfathers' face. It was almost serene, how withdrawn the should-be Slytherin was behaving. Neville didn't trust it for a second.

"It does make sense."

Rose rounded on him, shrieking. "_What_?! Malfoy, have you lost your bloody mind?"

"No, Weasley, I haven't. Think about it. I'm a genius. You're a genius. We work together, we'd be unbeatable. Ravenclaw would win the house cup."

"That'd be working against my family."

"You probably have a relative in Slytherin. Would you step down to let them win?"

"No, I - shut up, Malfoy. What are you proposing?"

"I'm - I'll use your word - _proposing_ that we work together, at least in things related to class work. Our grades would skyrocket - we could beat your mum, Rose Weasley. Wouldn't you like that?"

Rose bit her lip. Neville took a moment to appreciate the natural skills in manipulation that all Malfoys' possessed: it'd take a genius to get Rose to cooperate. Though, now that he considered it, she could be kind of competitive.

And then, Rose said the thing that would change their lives.

"Okay. I'm in. But only for the grades."

Scorpius smiled at Rose's back, though it was the tiniest thing. Nevilles' eyebrows shot up. _This is going to be interesting_.

* * *

If only he'd known better. He really should've expected his miracle fix-all solution to catch on, but he hadn't had the foresight to do so. But after observing the results of Scorpius and Rose's new allegiance in the next period classes - it varied between days, but Charms, potions, transfiguration and lunch, which the two apparently spent in the library poring over books - within a week all the other professors had caught on and paired the two together in everything.

No one had a chance.


	5. Molly Weasley II

**Characters: **Scorpius Malfoy, Molly Weasley II, Rose Weasley

**Word count: **330

* * *

"Molly Weasley has the entire world packed into neat little boxes."

When Lorcan Scamander had said that, he hadn't said it to be mean or harsh. It hadn't even been particularly accurate, except that it had been the face she'd presented to everyone ever since she'd been little. If she felt she was in control, then she could maintain the reality she had created for herself. No questions asked.

When Scorpius Malfoy slipped into her life, she didn't even bat an eyelash. She was reading at the time, a more up-to-date copy of _Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them_ that had been updated recently by Luna and Rolf Scamander. She had only noticed the newcomer because she'd had to stop reading for an instant to push her glasses back up her nose.

Everything about him was pale, like a painting dipped in bleach. The only bright thing about him was his eyes, which were silver and sparkling as he gestured madly, leaning forward in his seat. Rose, beside Molly, had the same heated passion about her as she flailed her hands just as madly as he was. Rose had the liveliness about her that Molly had only seen once before, when she had unintentionally walked in on one of her pillow fights with Hugo. That was the only time Molly could recall her little cousin ever seeming so very alive.

_Well, those two are made for each other,_ she thought, a brief smile flitting across her lips. She said nothing, though, unwilling to bestow her secret on the world until she got the chance to tell Lucy, her baby sister and the only person Molly was every truly herself with.

So it was that Molly Weasley, eldest daughter of Percy and Audrey Weasley, welcomed Scorpius into her life, eager for the happiness she suspected he would eventually bring to Rose. She loved watching others be happy.

It reminded her that even she might one day get the same opportunity.


End file.
